Dark Side
by Shimmerleaf
Summary: After the truth comes out about her past and what the future has in store for her, Leaf doesn't know what to do. It seems so much simpler to just end her life right then and there, before more harm is done, but her family disagrees with her, and will do anything to prevent her from leaving them.
1. Leaf

It was tempting, oh so very tempting, to draw the silver blade across her throat or wrists, to end everything right then and there, in the middle of the night where no one was watching, but she couldn't. Her hands trembled, causing her grip on the sword to slacken. Hesitation gripped her, and for the umpteenth time since Validar's defeat, she threw the sword aside, only to walk over to pick it up again.

Why, why was she hesitating? All she had to do was extinguish her life's light, and then everything would be over. Grima would be without a vessel, her future self would cease to exist, and Lucina's grim future would never come to fruition. Her death would prevent countless atrocities from happening, while her existence would only bring about the opposite.

By the moon's light, Leaf turned to look behind her, at the direction of where they had set up camp. A bittersweet smile formed on her lips and she shook her head sadly. They had defeated Validar a few days ago, and were now on their way to Mount Prism, so that Chrom could perform the Awakening to summon Naga's power. Leaf had felt the tension in the air as they marched. Whispers drifted around her and hardly anyone beside Chrom spoke to her, but even then, their exchange had been kept short. She couldn't say she was bugged by such a turn of events; after all, it made sense, what with her being the daughter of Validar and the vessel for the fell dragon becoming public knowledge, but she would be lying if she said it didn't hurt, to see her friends, her comrades, look at her with such doubtful eyes.

Her heart ached whenever Lucina looked at her with a guarded expression, when Morgan repeatedly hesitated when speaking with her, when Sumia made excuses to escape her company. The Pegasus knight had been the first friend Leaf had made within the Shepherds, and while everyone had been kind to her then, Sumia had gone out of her way to welcome the tactician, and Leaf valued that friendship greatly, which was why it hurt that much more to see Sumia, now going out of her way to avoid her. She couldn't blame them for such reactions though, because she felt the same about herself. Leaf didn't trust herself; how could she ask others to trust her?

A frustrated sigh escaped her lips, and her grip on the sword tightened. _Just get it over with; if you can't use the sword then use a Thoron tome_, she thought to herself, but she couldn't do it. No matter what she told herself, what motives she came up with, she couldn't bring herself to end her own life. Why, just why? The positives of her dying outnumbered the negatives by far, but she couldn't do it. There was always the hope of dying in their next battle, but she knew that wasn't going to happen either. Chrom was always by her side, watching her back and protecting her from attacks whenever she wasn't paying attention. In truth, in the past few battles against the Risen, she had deliberately left her guard down, hoping the Risen would kill her, but Chrom had always been there to fend them off. Now, in the middle of the night was her only chance to slip away quietly, but…

Leaf sighed again, staring at her reflection in the sword's blade. She couldn't understand why Chrom always watched her back; exalted blood rain through his veins, while fell blood ran through hers. By that logic, they were enemies, and she had already done things to prove that she couldn't be trusted, but time and time again, he always came to her rescue on the battlefield. It had warmed her to see that he still cared for her, that perhaps he still loved her, but such actions only went to be contradicted by him hardly speaking to her. She, of course, didn't hold anything against him; unlike the rest of the Shepherds, he as least still spoke to her at times, and that was all she could ask for.

She would be doing everyone a favour, if she were to end her life, right then and there. The same line of reasoning passed through her mind, but her hand didn't move, the blade still reflecting her reflection back at her. Every single night since Validar's death she had left her tent to sit outside after everyone else had gone to sleep. Always, she held her sword in one hand, telling herself that it would be the night where finally, her life would end, but constantly, she chickened out, only to repeat the process the next night. The entire procedure was tiring her out, but she couldn't see an end to it. The fell blood within her was going to bring about their destruction, and she wanted no part in it. Leaf was certain that one night, she would be able to bring about her own death, she simply had to.

Each day that passed was simply one more day wasted, one more day wherein she endangered her friends. Validar had controlled her, using her body to steal the Fire Emblem from Chrom, and even though he was now dead, who knew if that couldn't happen again? She was at the fell dragon's mercy, and while she would always try to fight off Grima's influence, she never would know if she would succeed. Perhaps, one of these days, her future self would take possession of her and use her body to kill off her friends and family, one by one.

Such thoughts simply made her hand tremble even more, but she inhaled sharply, gripping the handle of her sword. Time was slowly passing her by, and soon the sun would be rising, taking away her chance. She needed to do this, and soon. If they continued marching at their current pace then they would reach Mount Prism by midday, and Leaf knew that she wouldn't be able to do anything then. She was too much of a chicken, too hesitant, and Mount Prism was where Chrom was to summon Naga. She didn't dare soil much a sacred place with her fell blood.

Her sword sat in her hand, the blade gleaming in the moonlight. There was only one thing for her to do, and she _had_ to do it. She couldn't get the Risen to kill her, and Lucina had backed out of the task, leaving her the only one capable, and the only one willing. Leaf had been glad that Lucina hadn't killed her though, as much as she wished that the young lord had. She didn't want to burden her daughter with the fact that she had killed her own mother, even if it was to protect the world. Chrom had told her that he trusted her and believed in her, that the bonds between them were stronger than Grima's influence, but Leaf didn't want to test that theory, because if he was wrong, then someone would have to pay the price, and that someone would most likely be him. If Chrom were to die then everyone in Ylisse would be devastated, especially Lucina, and Leaf couldn't do that to her daughter.

No one would miss her terribly if she was gone, and there were possibly only a few more battles left; Frederick would be able to provide Chrom with advice if he ever needed it, he didn't need her anymore. If Chrom ever did need tactical advice, he always had Morgan to ask. She had served them well as their tactician, seeing them through many battles, but with her heritage out in the open, Leaf knew not many of her comrades trusted her, yet they trusted Chrom enough to still listen to her as they charged into battle. Only Chrom fought repeatedly by her side, no matter how much she tried to distance herself. Morgan was always near Lucina or Cynthia, and if the young lord wasn't with her brother then she was with Gerome, fighting together.

It was reassuring to see that her children had friends that they could count on, that they wouldn't be alone, no matter what. It warmed her heart to hear them laugh and to see them smile, in lieu of the situation. It only strengthened her resolve to take her own life, because then it would preserve the happiness they had found.

Again, she turned to look at gleaming blade, her right hand clutching the handle tightly. She had taken off her gloves earlier in her tent and now the mark symbolizing the fell blood in her veins was openly displayed on her hand, staring up at her, as if mocking her, laughing at her, sneering at her.

_I have to end this._ Her eyes fluttered shut and she raised her sword as she inhaled sharply. The blade reflected the moonlight, shining in the darkness like a faraway star, leading travellers to their destination.

Leaf smiled sadly, her eyebrows furrowing as she gave into her thoughts. _Lucina won't lose Chrom and Morgan will have a future._ She recalled the tears Lucina had shed, that night after they left Carrion Isle, when the young lord had finally revealed her identity to Chrom and herself. She remembered the ever present smile on Lucina's face as they had hugged. Leaf couldn't take away her happiness, not after what she had experienced in her future.

_Cynthia will be able to create more memories with Sumia and Gerome will have his parents at his side._ Their faces flashed in her mind as she remembered the places they had gone and the enemies they had to defeat in order to get the energetic Pegasus knight and stoic wyvern rider to join them. She remembered seeing Gerome and Gregor slowly growing closer together as father and son; she remembered seeing Cynthia gathering flower petals with Sumia, only to bury Frederick in them not long after.

_Owain won't have to worry about losing Vaike over a Risen attack and Laurent won't be alone._ It had merely been a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but Leaf had overheard both males' conversations with their fathers. She had heard that in the future, Vaike died protecting Owain from a Risen attack; she had heard that Laurent had been sent farther back in time than Lucina, that he had spent five years on his own, wandering around an era wherein he knew no one.

With each passing thought of the future children that they had found, Leaf's resolve to end her life merely hardened, the hesitation that had gripped her slowly ebbing away. Her breathing quickened, along with her heartbeat, but she merely squeezed her eyes shut, focusing on her thoughts, not allowing herself to hesitate any longer. _Inigo will be able to dance with Olivia and Kjelle can try to learn to be a better cook from Virion._ Memories of watching Olivia dance simply made her smile; the dancer was graceful in every step she performed, and so was her son. Leaf was lucky to have witnessed Inigo practicing one day, after everyone had gone to bed. While his movements weren't as fluid as Olivia's, it was obvious that with practice, he would become her equal. With Leaf out of the picture, they would have all the time in the world to practice, and the same would hold true for Kjelle and Virion. The two of them would be able to practice their cooking skills until the knight's meals were edible.

_Severa wouldn't need to distance herself and Noire will have Gaius at her side to fend off Tharja's hexes. _The two females flashed through Leaf's mind, sending shivers down her arms. The archer and mercenary couldn't be any more different from one another, and while she didn't know much about Severa, as the two of them hardly spent much time together, Leaf thought of Noire as her little sister, even though the archer had wanted to call her 'Mother'. Severa came across as distant and cold, but with time, time that they will have, Leaf believed that Severa would be able to open up to others, to learn to let others in.

Then there was Yarne and Nah, the male taguel and female manakete. Leaf also didn't know much about them, but from what interactions she saw between them and Morgan, she knew she was making the correct decision. Nah tried so hard to act mature, unlike Nowi, who preferred to play games. She had been devoid of a childhood, due to the horrors of the future. Yarne seemed to always be worried, always anxious about something, never knowing the meaning of relaxation. If Grima was removed from the world, they would have all the time to be children, to experience the joy of growing up.

End everything now, and the children's future will be secure; their grim future from which they came from will never happen, and they will all be able to live on happily, like now. There will be no more war, and everyone will be able to settle down somewhere to continue on with their lives.

At that, she opened her eyes, her lips pressed together in a line, looking emotionless, but her mind was strangely clear for once, the first time in days. It had done her good to think about the children, about how happy they were in this time with their parents. She couldn't bear to take that away from them and reminiscing had brought on a wave of determinism. They were fighting for a future, a future where people could live in peace and harmony once more, a future where the Risen didn't threaten them behind every corner, but most of all, a future where their children could be happy, where families could be together.

"Now, or never." She stared out into the night as her hand tightened around the handle, steeling herself. "Morgan, you'll be a fantastic tactician, there is no more I can teach you. With practice and time, you'll be able to outwit me; I believe in you. Lucina, you've grown up to be so beautiful; I am blessed to have you as my daughter and to have met you. I am so thankful for you." Pausing, she inhaled, blinking back memories and tears. "Chrom… My life began with you the day you found me and welcomed me into your life. My life will end, to prevent yours from ending. Please, take care of Lucina and Morgan, you'll have to fulfil your duty as their father, but also play my part as their mother," she whispered to the darkness, as if the words would drift on their own to the tents housing her family.

She then brought the sword down.

* * *

A/N: First fanfic I've written in a few months, and the first Fire Emblem story I've written ever, so I hope it wasn't too bad… I've been obsessed with FE:A since I've gotten my hands on it, and have been playing it every day since, so hah, no surprise that I can't keep plot bunnies out of my head.

If I ever get around to writing stories/oneshots centered on MaMU then I'll name him Robin, since well, I was first introduced to him as Robin, so that's what I'll be naming him. It just seems weird to me to name both genders of the MU Robin… That, and I got used to calling FeMU Leaf from playing FE12. If that bothers you then oh well, nothing I can do about. Thanks for reading though : D

(Edit) Fixed a mistake where I named Gaius twice as the father.

Happy Leafing~


	2. Morgan

He hid himself behind a tree, quietly watching, making sure that his presence went unnoticed. With attentive eyes, he followed her every moment. The distance between them made it hard for Morgan to perfectly observe his mother, but he was certain that she wasn't up to anything good. For the past few nights, he had followed her out to the clearing, hiding among the trees bordering their campsite. It was always quite late at night when Leaf would leave her tent, carrying her sword and Thoron tome with her into the clearing, where she would sit until the darkness gave way to light.

As hard as Morgan tried, he could never stay awake long enough to figure out why she kept going outside and what she did there. He would always fall asleep some time into his spying, and would often find himself waking up in the tent he shared with Owain. Morgan didn't know how he ended up back there or who carried him back, but he was certain that it wasn't Leaf. His mother had changed after their battle at the Dragon's Table, growing ever more distant from them, from him, from everyone. She didn't say much either, only giving out commands in the midst of battles when necessary, and even then, her strategies were often voiced by Chrom. Morgan didn't often get to see his mother; she kept to herself in her tent, burying herself in her books.

He had been there, at the Dragon's Table, when Validar had been defeated and the fell dragon awakened. Though there were many gaps in his memory and he held no recollection of the terror and despair that Grima had brought upon them, Morgan knew that they couldn't allow the dragon to roam freely, for Cynthia and all his friends had told him their stories of the future, the future were most of their parents were dead and they were the only ones left alive. What didn't make sense to him was the relationship between the so-called Plegian hierophant and his mother. He was there with Lucina and his father when the other Leaf explained who she really was, but Morgan didn't fully understand. What impact did it make that they were the same person, only differing in the choices they've made? He loved her, no matter what, for she was the only constant in his mind, the only light that shone through the fogginess of his memory.

The others didn't share his feelings on the matter though; even Lucina looked as if she was having second thoughts. Lucina, his sister! Morgan could vaguely remember her in his life, but like with every memory that wasn't of his mother, the details were sketchy. He couldn't remember what sort of life they had together, and even upon hearing the stories of the ruined future from which Lucina had travelled from, Morgan couldn't share her determination from preventing it. He also couldn't share the doubt and suspicion the others held against his mother.

Not many had been prevent at Validar's castle, when the Plegian king had taken control of Leaf's body, using her to steal the Fire Emblem from Chrom, but Morgan had been there. It was hard to believe what he had seen, but no one had been in more shock than Lucina. Morgan didn't know who started it, but rumours had begun circulating around after that incident, only to intensify after the battle at the Dragon's Table. What if Leaf fell under Grima's control again and killed them all? What if Grima forced her to lead them into a trap? What if, what if, what if? Morgan didn't hold that incident against his mother, and neither did his father. Lucina had seemed hesitant about forgiving their mother, but eventually she had too. Why couldn't everyone else simply move on?

Cynthia had reassured him that she didn't believe in the rumours, that Leaf was a stronger person than that, but there had been an edge to her voice, indicating her unease. Owain had presented him with the same response, and that merely made Morgan feel unsteady. His father didn't help either; while Chrom was the commander and had a lot of duties to take care of, Morgan often spotted him staring at his mother, but the two of them hardly spoke to one another, contrasting to before, when they were almost always together, talking about past and future battles, laughing at memories.

Something glinted in the darkness and Morgan narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the object. His mother's silhouette was sketched out by the moonlight and faintly could he make out the outline of a sword. His eyebrows furrowed and he frowned, agitation gripping him. Something moved and he watched as his mother got up, walked over a few paces before settling down in the clearing again. Morgan exhaled a breath he didn't know he had been holding, relief flooding him. For once, he felt strangely awake with no trace of tiredness or sleepiness tugging him away. This was the first time he had seen his mother do more than simply sit there, and he was anxious to see what she was going to do next.

Something was clearly bugging her, and he wanted to know what it was, so that he could help her. It had been four days since Morgan had last conversed with his mother. After the battle at the Dragon's Table, she had drifted steadily away from everyone, making it hard for him to speak with her. Now, he didn't even know what he _could_ say to her; there was so much he _wanted_ to say, but the words never could form. Knowing his mother, she probably had heard the rumours circulating around camp, and Morgan wanted to tell her to not to believe them, that they were a lie, but he never could. The rumours made him angry; he wanted to tell anyone that believed in them that they were wrong, that his mother would never harm them, but he didn't have any proof to back up his claim. All he had was his Arcthunder tome and a steel sword, but Morgan could never resort to violence; the soldiers would merely use it against him, going on to say her blood ran through his veins, leading to his violent outbursts. As much as Morgan wanted to silence anyone that dare doubt his mother, he couldn't.

He didn't know _what_ he could do to cheer up his mother; seeing her in such a state saddened him, but being unable to speak with her made him feel even worse. Why was her being a vessel for Grima such a big deal? Why was everyone on edge about it? Hadn't she proved that she was trustworthy already? No one had ever doubted Leaf before her relationship with Validar and Grima had been revealed, and Morgan simply didn't understand _why_ everyone's opinions were changing. As far as he knew, she was still the same person that had led them successfully through many battles. Nothing about her had changed; only the fog that had surrounded her history had been lifted.

Morgan slowly inched forward, getting closer to the edge of where the trees met open grass. Each step he took caused his heart to pound in his chest, a feeling of foreboding filling him. The night was silent, and except for the constant sounds of his breathing, it remained so. His mother was quiet, not saying anything, at least, nothing that he could hear. The moonlight surrounded her, reflecting off of the blade she held. Seeing the sword out in the open like that made him uncomfortable; while his mother normally carried it with her at all times in case of ambushes, she always kept it sheathed, preferring to use tomes instead.

He had inherited the ability to be able to use tomes from his mother and his skill with swords from his father, and like his mother, Morgan always kept his sword at his side, just in case of emergency, but at that moment, he had nothing with him, except his cloak. Pulling it closer to his body, he inched forward some more, standing behind the tree nearest his mother. From her posture, he knew that she had her eyes closed, most likely lost in thought, and Morgan was tempted to leave his hiding spot, to talk to her, to confront and comfort her, but he didn't.

Instead, he kept still, watching and waiting to see what would happen. It was then that his mother's arm shifted, the hand holding the sword moving upward. Her voice filled the air as murmurs left her mouth. _"Morgan, you'll be a fantastic tactician; there is no more I can teach you._"

He wanted to protest, but words died in his throat, leaving him to simply stare at his mother's figure. She continued to talk about Lucina and his father, speaking as if they were there with her. Morgan didn't know what was going on or why she was saying such things. There was still so much she could teach him, it didn't even have to do with tactics! All he wanted was to spend more time with her, to make more memories to fill the gaps in his memory. He wanted to be with her, along with Lucina and his father, so they could be a complete family.

At that moment, Morgan noticed the sword, raised above her. Nothing made sense for him, but nothing mattered then. Adrenaline filled him and he leapt out of his hiding spot, running as fast as he could. "Mother!"

* * *

A/N: And here's to hoping there aren't any contradictions or anything in this.

Happy Leafing~


	3. Lucina

Laying still on her bedroll, Lucina stared up at the ceiling of the tent. No matter what she did, she couldn't make herself comfortable enough to fall asleep. Her mind raced constantly, her thoughts jumping from one subject to another, riling up her emotions. Ever since the battle at the Dragon's Table, she had been unable to fall asleep easily, always having to rely on counting sheep or until her speeding thoughts tired her out. Questions loomed around every corner in her mind, questions that remained unanswered.

The sound of a tent flap moving alerted her and she slowly sat up, careful as to not to awaken Cynthia. A few seconds ticked by without a sound and Lucina made her way outside, grabbing Falchion on the way out. Morgan's tent flap fluttered faintly from previous movement and Lucina quickly followed, already knowing where her brother had gone.

It had been like this for the past few nights, quickly becoming a routine, and each night, Lucina would lay awake, waiting until she heard Morgan leave before following after him. He never saw her, that she made sure of, but she was always able to see both him and their mother. Morgan always hid himself behind a tree, creeping closer and closer toward Leaf whenever he had the chance, but he never did anything, and every night, Lucina would witness him falling asleep during his spying. She was always the one to carry him back to his tent, and while she didn't mind doing so, she had to wonder why her brother did this. He knew his own limitations and yet, every night without fail, Morgan would leave his tent to hide himself among the trees to spy on their mother.

She could've asked herself the same question, for she was sitting on a tree branch, having climbed up there, watching both her brother and their mother. Like all the other nights, Leaf was sitting alone beneath the night sky with her sword at her side. While it was quite dark out, the sky was clear of clouds, letting the moonlight stream downward uninterrupted, illuminating the clearing. Quietness surrounded her, and Lucina did her best to breathe as silently as possible. She didn't want to make her presence known to either her mother or to Morgan.

Lucina had always been good at concealing herself when she wanted to. Before she had revealed herself to her father, she had followed him and his Shepherds around Ylisse, making sure that he was safe. While she knew what was to happen, she didn't want to take a chance; it was, after all, better to be safe than sorry. No one had known she was there, for she lingered with the shadows, keeping her distance as to go undetected. Even Frederick, who woke up long before anyone else stirred, never noticed her hiding among the trees.

Holding onto the tree branch to steady herself, Lucina stared at her mother before flickering her gaze over to her brother. There was so much of their mother in him, ranging from the shape of his eyes to his love of tactics. Lucina had never thought about such trivialities before, but it was true. While they both had inherited their father's hair colour, Morgan inherited most of his traits from their mother, while Lucina was the opposite. There was so less of Leaf in her; sometimes she thought that besides being female, there was nothing she shared with her mother.

Her father had always been the one she was closest to, having spent most of her time with him, even as a child. Lucina cared deeply for him, and would do anything to keep him safe, to ensure his survival, but there was only so much she could do. She couldn't kill her mother, for instance. The memory of that moment left a bitter taste in her mouth and she swallowed, biting her lip.

She had truly thought she was doing the right thing then. If her mother didn't live to be manipulated by Validar then her father would be safe. The horrible future that she knew wouldn't happen and her father would be there to stop Grima, but she hadn't been thinking clearly. Lucina looked at Morgan, who was keenly watching their mother. If Lucina had killed Leaf then Morgan wouldn't exist, since their mother wouldn't live to have him in the first place. How that thought managed to slip her mind in the first place, Lucina didn't know, and the knowledge that she almost destroyed her brother gnawed at her. She loved her brother dearly, and though his memories of his past were unclear, she didn't mind; they could always make new ones together, ones that included both their parents. Lucina loved her mother too, but… She didn't know what to think.

The information available to her in the future had been limited, and it was only in this lifetime did she know that it was her mother that had killed her father. Like everyone else, Lucina had been shocked when the other Leaf had revealed the truth behind her mother, and also like everyone else, she had drifted away from her mother after the battle at the Dragon's Table. Once already had she seen Validar control her mother, and while the dark mage was dead, Grima had been awakened, and the fell dragon was more than twice as powerful as Validar. What prevented him from controlling her mother again? Lucina couldn't bear the idea of her father dying, not again, but she also couldn't point her sword at her mother.

The tree shook as a cool breeze swept past and Lucina clung onto the trunk to keep her balance. Below her, she spotted Morgan creeping forward, ducking out of sight behinds trees. It had gotten surprisingly late, and for the first time that she could remember, he was still awake. From what little light there was, she could barely make out his facial features, but from what she could tell, he looked surprisingly alert, with no sign of weariness to be seen.

Farther away in the clearing, she caught a glimpse of a glimmer of light, a reflection of the moonbeams. Narrowing her eyes and focusing her attention, Lucina could make out the faint outline of a sword in her mother's hand. It wasn't uncommon to see Leaf with a sword at her side, for she always carried it with her for protection, much like Lucina did with Falchion, but it was the middle of the night, and she was alone in the middle of the clearing. While there was always the threat of being attacked by Risen, Lucina didn't think that was the reason why her mother had the sword with her in the first place. Leaf was cautious, yes, but not that cautious.

Anxiety began to creep up her arms and her breath caught in her throat. Morgan, hiding behind the tree next to hers, took a few more steps, moving onto another tree. A feeling of dread filled her, the same feeling that had coursed through her the night she had planned to kill her mother.

Her hands moved to grip the branch that she was sitting on, keeping her steady as she leaned forward, trying to see what was going on with her mother. Tonight was different from all the other nights. For one, Morgan was awake for once, instead of curled up behind a tree, asleep. For another, her mother was holding a sword. That fact alone wasn't strange, but factoring in the circumstance in which Lucina found her mother in, was. They were, after all, alone in a clearing in the middle of the night, with no sign of danger lurking nearby. Her skin tingled and a shiver crawled up her back though she was relatively warm. A sense of foreboding filled her, echoing her thoughts.

Morgan seemed to have arrived at the same conclusion from observing their mother, for his posture had stiffened and he stood straightly still, as if he was looking for signs of trouble.

"…_Lucina…so beautiful… am blessed…as my daughter."_

She couldn't hear everything that left her mother's mouth, for her voice was too soft, but what she did hear left her baffled. It had been a few days since she had last spoken to her mother. All Lucina could think of was that night where she attempted to end her mother's life and the battle at the Dragon's Table. Her future depended on them succeeding in defeating Grima, but Grima was her mother. Even though the other Leaf and her mother differed, they were still the same person, and unless her father managed to summon Naga, everything would be lost. Lucina couldn't afford to think about anything else. She had travelled through time in hopes to change the future, but fate was cruel.

There had been nothing for her to say to her mother, nothing to ease the churning emotions that stirred within her. All Lucina had been able to do was to avoid the tactician, to look away whenever her mother looked her way. She had to keep her father safe, had to change the future, but there was nothing she could _do_, not when it came to her mother being a vessel for the fell dragon. No matter how many times she travelled back in time or how much she changed the past, that fact alone wouldn't change.

There was only so much she could do here, in the past, but no matter what she did, she couldn't change the fact that her mother was Grima's vessel. Her father's death had been avoided thus far only from careful planning and strategizing, but no one could fully know what the future held. For all Lucina knew, tomorrow, Grima might descend upon them and destroy them all, killing both her parents, or her mother might decide to side with Grima and become a god. She didn't _know_ what the future held and that scared her more than anything. She couldn't have her father die, not again, and she couldn't live without her mother either. Being with them again, along with Morgan, gave her a sense of security, a feeling of warmth, that had eluded her for long enough. It was already hard for her to imagine living without them by her side.

Spotting sudden movement from Morgan snapped Lucina out of her thoughts. He ran out from his hiding spot, heading straight toward their mother, and it was then that she turned to look at the lone woman. Alone in the clearing, Leaf held a sword, high above her head. Morgan yelled out to her, but his voice didn't seem to faze her.

The sword hand came sweeping down. "No, Mother!"

Lucina jumped down, and ran.


	4. Chrom

With a sigh, Chrom closed the book before him, moving his hands to rub the tiredness out of his eyes. Night had fallen hours ago, and the candle he had lit to provide a source of light had almost melted into a puddle of wax. He never was one for late night reading and it always tired him out when he did stay up, but tonight, it had failed him. His body was tired and yearned for sleep but his mind was wide awake, refusing to slow down, denying him entrance to dreamland. The past few nights had him falling asleep at his table, on top of his book, but tonight was different.

Every time his eyes closed, an image or memory of Leaf would appear, instantly bringing a surge of emotions with it. Chrom hadn't been lying when he had told her that he still believed in her, that he trusted her, even after hearing everything the other Leaf had to say, but that hadn't stopped the two of them from growing apart. She avoided his gaze whenever he looked at her; when he tried to speak with her, she simply answered with short sentences, and eventually, Chrom stopped trying to talk to her unless it was necessary. They communicated openly about strategies for upcoming battles and routes toward their destination, but that was all. He didn't _like_ the distance between them, but there was only so much he could do.

Rumours had been flying among the soldiers, rumours he was sure everyone had heard, including Leaf, because Chrom often saw his son silencing the speakers with a glare, one that conveyed intense loathing, but thank Naga, Morgan never did anything beyond that. Leaf hadn't done anything either, but Chrom had taken notice that she kept to herself more, busying herself with her books and maps. She hardly left her tent and often took her meals alone, or forgoing them all together, if it weren't for him taking them to her.

He had wanted to scold her for not taking better care of herself, for neglecting her health, but the words had gotten lost somewhere between his throat and lips. He had longed to wrap his arms around her, to feel her skin against his, but there never had been a right moment.

Even now, alone in his tent, Chrom longed for the company of his wife; they had been through so much together and had shared so many memories, both good and bad, that it confused him as to why they were sleeping in different tents. He trusted her with his life, even after seeing Validar control her and having the Fire Emblem stolen from him by her. Even after hearing the other Leaf, the one that became Grima, speak of how the future played out, how Leaf had chosen becoming a god over them, Chrom held no ill feelings toward her. This was the present, not the past or the future, and she had made different choices, choosing them over becoming a god.

He didn't know if Grima would be able to manipulate Leaf like Validar had, but even if the fell dragon could, Chrom felt no fear. Like Morgan, he didn't believe the rumours; yes, it was a big deal that Leaf was to be the vessel for the fell dragon and that she was Validar's daughter, but _so what_? He had noticed how everyone distanced themselves from Leaf, even before she had detached herself from them, and Chrom couldn't understand why. Perhaps it was a better question to ask himself, for he had been doing the same thing.

The two of them hardly spoke to one another, and from what he had been able to observe, neither Morgan or Lucina had taken to speaking with her much either. While he was lonely at night in his tent by himself, he couldn't even begin to imagine how Leaf must feel.

With a sigh, Chrom shook his head, clearing his thoughts. The light had grown dimmer and dimmer, until it had simply gone out, leaving behind a waxy puddle. Picking up Falchion by the foot of his bed, he left his tent. There was no time like the present, to right a wrong. He simply missed her, every part of her, from her voice to her eyes, from her tactical mind to her endless chatter about tomes. He only wanted to be next to her again.

Checking her tent first, he was met with an empty room. Stacks of books and rolls of maps littered her makeshift table but her bed was untouched. Spinning around, Chrom wandered back outside, shivering slightly against the gust of wind that blew past him. The breeze wasn't necessarily cold but it crawled up his back, making him fidget as if insects were moving against his skin.

The moonlight streamed downward uninterrupted, and far away, in the clearing in the distance, Chrom could make out a figure sitting beneath the night sky. For a moment, he simply stood there and stared. It had been a long time since he had last seen Leaf in such a light. Ever since the first night he had sat with her in the garden at the Feroxi Castle after their escape from Plegia, he had taken to spending time with her, after everyone had gone to bed, out beneath the night sky, where it was only the two of them. Neither of them spoke unless there was something to be said; they merely sat there, in each other's company.

Inhaling sharply, Chrom approached her, the soles of his boots brushing past the blades of grass as he moved silently forward. Temptation to call out her name gnawed at him, but he refrained from speaking, only soundlessly mouthing her name.

A glint in the moonlight caught his attention and he paused, his hand resting cautiously on Falchion's hilt. Looking carefully, he could make out the outline of a sword in Leaf's hand, her silver sword to be precise. Like him and their children, he knew she usually kept a sword at her side for protection, but it was the middle of the night, and as quiet as could be. His grip tightened around his sword as he began walking again, careful to not make a sound.

He didn't like where this was going. Through all their previous battles against the Risen in the past few days, Chrom had never seen Leaf use her sword as she always attacked from afar, with her Thoron tome. It felt out of place for him now, to see her with it out, when there was no danger nearby. Quickening his pace, he strained his ears in hopes of catching bits and pieces of her words, but all he received was silence.

Eventually, he stood a few paces behind her. Chrom didn't know if she could feel his presence or not, but she was so close to him now, that he could simply reach out to her.

"_My life will end, to prevent yours from ending."_ The words drifted over to him, entering one ear and out the other. He watched as her grip on her sword tightened, as she clutched the silver weapon as if it was her lifeline. Having missed part of her monologue, Chrom didn't know what was going on, but he listened intently as she continued on, the blade held high above her.

"_You'll have to fulfil your duty as their father, but also play my part as their mother."_ He could only stand there, staring at her as his breathing quickened and his heart rate accelerated. Instinct drove him to draw his sword, and so he did.

Time slowly passed him by as Leaf's sword hand made a downward motion, the silver blade glinting in the moonlight. He ran, sword extended.

"_Mother!"_

"_No, Mother!"_


	5. No Matter

The clash of metal meeting metal echoed through the silent air. Morgan and Lucina materialized at his die, but Chrom paid them no mind, focusing all his attention onto the tactician before him. Thank Naga that he was near, and had managed to block her blade before she had been able to inflict much damage on herself. With all of his strength, Chrom forced away her sword, sending the silver to fall to the ground not too far away from them. A thin trail of blood had appeared on Leaf's neck, slowly trickling downward, and Chrom could only stare at it, the reality of what just happened passing him by.

The four of them were silent; Chrom could only stare at Leaf's neck, while she looked down at the ground, hands shaking. Lucina and Morgan looked at each other before glancing toward their parents. None of them knew what to say, the situation felt surreal, as if it was merely a dream, a nightmare reflecting their fears. It wasn't a delusion though; what had happened was real, and almost, for a moment, Lucina and Morgan might've lost their mother all over again.

Morgan approached the tactician, whom had fallen onto the ground, resting on her knees. Wrapping his arms around her, he leaned his cheek on her shoulder, burying his face within her cloak. "Mother… Are you alright?" he timidly asked, tears already forming in his eyes.

"W-what were you doing, Mother?!" Lucina added, disbelief coating her tone of voice.

Leaf didn't respond and she merely let her eyes flutter shut as she released a shaky breath. With trembling hands, she placed one on Morgan's head, patting him soothingly.

Chrom didn't say anything either and instead, he kneeled down in front of her, taking her free hand in his, gripping it tight. Her sword laid a few metres away, far enough so that she couldn't reach for it without needing to get up. His own sword laid by his side, forgotten. Lucina followed suit and joined her family on the grassy ground, waiting for a response.

"I-I didn't want you, any of you, to have seen that," Leaf started, her voice barely above a whisper. She let out a rusty laugh but kept her eyes closed, a shiver passing through her. "I didn't expect anyone to be awake at this hour."

"What were you hoping to accomplish?" Chrom asked, using every ounce of strength he had to keep his voice neutral and steady.

She sighed, letting her eyes open, and for the first time in days, looked at him directly. "Isn't it obvious?" Her head tilted toward Morgan, showing off more of the self inflicted wound. Though it was small, blood still continued to trickle out, but Leaf ignored it. The pain that flared around it kept her awake, kept her grounded, forcing her to focus. It made sure that she was still present, that what she was experiencing now was reality.

"Why, Mother, why?!" Morgan exclaimed, looking up at her, shaking her hand off. "Please don't leave me, not again!"

"Mother, please explain," Lucina added softly, turning her eyes onto her mother's face. Her tone was neutral, like Chrom's, but unlike him, emotion had easily crept into her eyes, forming tears in the corner.

Leaf shook her head, biting her lip. "It would be so much simpler, if I wasn't here. Grima would have no vessel and the other me, the me that became the fell dragon, would cease to exist." She turned her attention to Lucina, nothing but sadness displayed in her eyes. "If it wasn't because of me and my actions, your future would've been so much brighter, and wouldn't be laying in ruin. Chrom wouldn't have died and…"

"That isn't your fault, Mother!"

"But Grima and I are one and the same; we only differ in the choices we've made, but ultimately, we are connected. Perhaps, even in this time, I will grow to become Grima, and everything you've done would be meaningless."

Leaf paused there, inhaling sharply, continuing before anyone could interject, "I've been thinking about this ever since we've defeated Validar. Everyone deserves happiness, but that's not possible now, is it? If I didn't exist, neither would Grima. The world will be at peace, don't you see? Besides, our battles are almost over, there isn't much I can do for the army anymore; I might as well remove myself and the harm that comes along with my existence. I don't want to hurt any of you. You all deserve happiness."

"And me? What about me, Leaf?" Chrom asked when she was done speaking, meeting his wife's gaze head on. Taking her other hand into his grip, he held them both tightly, keeping them close to him, as if their touching hands were the only connection he had with her.

"W-what?" She sounded confused, and her eyes flickered from his face toward the ground. Her voice was soft, below that of even a whisper.

"You said we all deserve happiness, but what about me? Do you truly believe I'll be happy without you?" He released the hold on her hands and instead rested one hand on her chin, nudging her head up to meet his gaze. "You mean everything to me," he continued in a softer voice. "You're wrong if you believe the army has no use for you anymore. I'll _always_ need you at my side; we've been through so much together, Leaf, I can't just let you go, not like this. It doesn't matter to me if you're Validar's daughter or the vessel for the fell dragon. First and foremost, you'll always be my wife, and the love of my life"

His words echoed familiarly in her mind, bringing forth memories of that night on Carrion Isle, but she simply shook them away. "You would've moved on, given enough time, and without Grima, without me, there will be plenty of time for anything." Her thoughts turned back to all the future children she had met, and her skin tingled as she remembered the particular thoughts that had given her determination.

"That's not true, Mother!" Morgan objected, vehemently shaking his head. "I can never forget you; even though I don't remember anything else, I _know_ life will be miserable without you. Please don't leave me."

"I can't imagine a future without you, Mother, not anymore, and I don't want to, I can't. I've already seen it, and lived through it. Being here has reminded me of when we were together as a family, full of warmth and happiness," Lucina reasoned.

She flinched at their words and turned her gaze onto the ground again, forcing her head away from Chrom's touch. It was clear that she could cause them a great deal of hurt if she was to leave their lives, but that didn't stop her from thinking about her actions. Her sword remained in her line of sight and for a moment, she was tempted to make a mad dash for it, to pick it up and end everything, to continue what she had originally planned to do. It was an absurd thought, and just as quickly had the idea entered her mind did it leave, bringing back all the hesitation she had felt earlier that night.

"I'm sorry," Leaf murmured, "Please, just let me end this. I-It would be so much simply if I did; everyone would be so much happier." She simply didn't know what else there was to say. Her plan to slip away quietly in the night had been disrupted by her family, and given their responses, she knew she would never receive another chance, not after what happened tonight.

"Gods, no, Leaf! I can't let you do this. No matter what, I'm not letting you run away from me; I won't allow it," Chrom shot back fiercely. His hands found hers again and he held onto them tightly, pulling her toward him.

She struggled, trying to pull away from him, but the more she moved, the closer she ended up being, and before she knew it, her head was leaning against his chest, and his arms were wrapped around her, preventing her from escaping. Though it had only been several days, being in his arms like that again felt so right, so warm, so inviting, that she was tempted to forget everything that had happened, to forget about the troubles of the impending future and of her past, but she couldn't. Leaf drew away from him, opening her mouth, but Chrom managed to beat her, letting his words dangle in the air.

"If you try to push me out, I'll return, no matter what. It doesn't matter to me, Leaf, that you're related to Grima; it doesn't matter to me that you have this dark side. I promised to take care of you and to love you until the end of my days, and I'll be damned if I let anything get in my way."

"Father's right, Mother. Nothing matters, as long as you're here. We'll find a way to make things alright," Morgan chimed in, wiping away the tears that glistened in his eyes.

Lucina didn't say anything, instead she simply looked at Leaf, and the look in her eyes was enough. The young lord had been the one that travelled through time, adamant on changing the past to prevent her grim future from occurring. It was Lucina that had to experience the death of her parents and the fall of humanity as she knew, and yet, here she was, believing in Leaf that she would do the right thing. Nothing mattered more than family, and she couldn't lose her mother, not again, never again.

"We all need you here with us. Lucina and Morgan need their mother, and I need my wife. If you weren't here, then what would happen to Morgan?" Chrom asked gently.

Leaf's eyes widened as his question dawned on her and she turned to look at the young tactician who was staring up at her, waiting to hear her reply. She had thought so much about the future, about how it would affect all the children, that she hadn't realized that Morgan would cease to exist if she were to end her life. Lucina had already been born in their timeline, but Morgan was still a variable in their life. If she were to die, then he would disappear along with her. She shook her head vigorously. How could she have forgotten that significant fact? "Morgan… I-I…"

The blue haired tactician merely smiled at her. "It's alright, Mother. I'm still here now, aren't I? Just, please don't ever leave me. I won't forgive you if you do."

"We all make mistakes, Mother," Lucina chimed in, referencing that night when they had lost the Fire Emblem to Validar. "As long as you're here, we'll be able to find a way to make things right again."

Chrom smiled gently at her. He hadn't meant to make her feel even worse, but it was heartwarming to see their children encourage her, to be the ones that told her that her past actions didn't matter. "You belong with us, Leaf, and don't you ever forget that. If you ever do, we'll all be here to remind you. Sumia, Cordelia, Gaius, Tharja, and everyone else will be here too. You've done so much for us, and everyone is grateful; they all care for you, even in times when it doesn't seem like it. Just remember that you will always be the love of my life, no matter what," Chrom concluded, pulling back his head to look at her directly. "Promise me, that you'll stay."

Her heart pounded in her chest, and she inhaled sharply. It felt as if it had been years instead of days since she had last heard Chrom speak so long to her, and it made her heart ache. Grima could easily destroy them all, along with the rest of humanity, and when comparing her one life to those of millions of others, hers seemed trivial, but having her family with her, having them speak to her again, made her feel special. They would be at Mount Prism soon, and Naga was sure to have answers. Until then, it didn't and shouldn't matter that she was related to Validar, that she would become Grima in the future, because at that moment, she had people that loved her, no matter what.

Leaf could only nod her head, but even such a simple gesture was enough for Chrom. He pulled her toward him again, tightly wrapping his arms around her. A relieved cry left Morgan as he struggled to wrap his arms around both his parents while Lucina merely smiled, feeling just as relieved. That was, until Chrom's arm wrapped itself around her, pulling her into group hug. Finally, after what had felt like months, the gap between them and Leaf had closed, making them feel like a complete family once more.

* * *

A/N: And that's the end. I hope anyone reading this has enjoyed it as much as I liked writing it. I'm not good at writing angsty stories, so hopefully this whole thing wasn't that bad, though it was fun to write. If the beginning seems a bit strange, it's because it was originally part of the previous chapter, but it didn't seem right so I separated it.

Thanks everyone for the reviews and favourites, especially ModelOmega for telling me about the Gaius mistake in the first chapter, and Angel Of Darkness And Light for reminding me about Morgan. And before anyone thinks I wrote this all in the span of two days, well, you're wrong, ehehe. I started this about two weeks ago and finished yesterday; I prefer to not upload until I'm certain that I'm done, because I have a bad habit of abandoning my stories.

Happy Leafing~


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